The bi-monthly publication of the City of Leon Valley, Texas

Leon Valley City Hall6400 El Verde RoadLeon Valley, TX 78238

PRSRTD STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSAN ANTONIO, TXPERMIT NO. 1001

Mayor’s Message

MAY, 2017 COUNCIL ELECTIONSOn May 6th, 9% of the registered voters in Leon Valley cast ballots for City Councilors in Places 1, 3 and 5. Dr. David Edwards, Mon-ica Alcocer and David Jordan were re-elected to second terms. Congratulations to them for the resounding approval of the citizens of Leon Valley. The community appreciates having an election which requires incumbents to defend their records. Thanks to candidates for Place 1 and Place 3 respectively, Zach Marcotte and Marianna Sanchez, young Leon Valley natives, for enlivening the debate. We hope they will contin-ue to be active in the community going forward. Thanks also to the Honorable Judge Norma Gonza-les, 131st Judicial District of Bexar County, for swearing the council-ors in for a two year term on May 16, 2017.

OAK WILT IN LEON VALLEYThe Tree Advisory Board held a workshop in May on Oak Wilt in Leon Valley (and throughout Texas and the nation). There are 74 par-cels of land in Leon Valley affected by this disease in Monte Robles (subdivision by John Marshall

High School) and Castle Estates (off Evers Road and Rue Francois). Oak Wilt is an infectious disease caused by a fungus, which invades and disables the water-conducting system in susceptible trees. All oaks are susceptible, but red oaks are affected more than others. The fungus is spread both by small beetles and through root con-nections. Two primary methods of treatment were discussed: a) Injection of a fungicide into the tree’s root flares at the base of the tree. This does not cure oak wilt, but will significantly reduce tree losses; and b) Trenching of 100 feet beyond the symptomatic trees to a depth of at least 4 feet to stop root transmission of the oak wilt fungus. This method is much more costly than the application of a fungicide. Leon Valley’s Commu-nity Development department has two fungicide kits that citizens can check out for free; the purchase of the fungicide is the homeowner’s responsibility. In addition to applying a fungi-cide and/or trenching to keep the spread of oak wilt down, it is also suggested to follow these tips:1)Remove a dead oak only with professional consultation;2)Plant a diversity of native trees when replacing a dead oak;3)All pruning of trees should be avoided from February through

mid July. (only cut when very hot or very cold). 4)Paint all tree wounds and fresh stumps regardless of the season. Cleaning tree cutting equipment after pruning is essential – if this is not done it can spread the fungus.County Judge Nelson Wolff and most of the suburban city Mayors are working together to identify and arrest Oak Wilt on a regional basis. The hiring of more county arborists has been discussed. If you are concerned with oak wilt in or around your home, please contact Community Development office at (210) 684-1391, Ext. 227 for a referral to the Texas Forest Service.

DEALING WITH CITIZEN CONCERNSEvery two weeks, led by Fire Chief Luis Valdez, representatives of

Vol.13, Issue 4

August - September 2017

By Mayor Chris Riley

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each department in the City meet to discuss and act on all citizen complaints received and pend-ing. I have seen amazing team work among the departments in addressing a multitude of code en-forcement issues, including identi-fying abandoned homes, certificate of occupancy issues, and others. All complaints/concerns received through the ON-IT system are incorporated into this master list of what needs to be done in the city. Please call 684-6648 or email OnIt@leonvalleytexas.gov to make a report. Our goal is to handle all requests received, as promptly as possible, with the highest level of customer service possible.

DID YOU KNOW?• The city council decided to try a new start time for council meetings to 6:00 p.m (from 7:00 p.m ) for the next 90 days and then re-assess. All proclamations and presentations will be set at the beginning of the meeting with the regular agenda items following. Good news for those who cannot make city council meetings on a regular basis: beginning in Octo-ber, with the passing of the next fiscal budget, all council meetings will be streamed live on the in-ternet. More information will be forthcoming.

• The Home Rule Charter Com-mission was appointed by Council in June. Weekly meetings are held on Mondays at 6:00 p.m. in city hall chambers and are open to the public, with Citizens to Be Heard for input.

• The City of Leon Valley and UTSA have entered into a research

agreement to evaluate the potential physical and economic impact of TXDOT’s proposed fly-over from 410 to 1604, focusing on both sales and property tax revenue implica-tions. The study will also look at alternative scenarios to the fly-over, including an additional lane added east and west bound and a multi-modal or “ complete street” option. The information gleaned from this study will be import-ant as we continue to work with TXDOT, citizens, businesses and all stakeholders on the best option for improving Bandera Road. A draft of this study is expected to be presented at the October 21, 2017 Coffee with Mayor and Council.• A Red Cross Shelter Exercise was held on June 17th with the-Leon Valley Fire Department, other city staff and elected officials and NISD Police Department at

John Marshall High School girls gym. The purpose of this exercise was to simulate an emergency situation where citizens have been displaced due to a disaster. Reg-istration, feeding, and dormitory stations were set up and addressed. Team work and treating every-one in the shelter with kindness and respect was emphasized. One purpose of this exercise was to develop a team of local volunteers to help at John Marshall when a disaster occurs. Please contact me if you are interested in serving your community in this capacity.• The next Lions Roar issue will address the FY 2018 Budget.Enjoy the rest of the summer. Already looking forward to cooler weather!Sincerely, Chris(210) 618-2092

Mayor's MessageContinued from cover

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Avoiding Property Crimes By Lt. David Gonzales, LVPD

Property crimes can range from lower level offenses such as shoplifting or vandalism, to high-level felonies like burglary. While Leon Valley is a very safe City, we do have crime, with property crimes being the bulk of offenses we handle. Our most common property crime in Leon Valley continues to be burglary of a ve-hicle, followed closely by thefts. How do most burglar-ies of a vehicle occur?

Believe it or not, most burglaries of a vehicle occur with the vehicle door/s left unlocked. Even worse, property is left in plain view, giving the thief quick access and an incentive to steal. So how do you stop most vehicle burglaries? Simple; hide your valuables and lock your car doors. Another common problem plaguing our community is thefts from yards or an open garage.

High dollar items in your front yard like projectors, Christmas decorations, or even packages left on your doorstep are invitations for a thief to strike. Do not leave expensive items in your yard, and ask the deliv-ery companies not to deliver packages while you are not at home. The last property crime that does rarely occur is the burglary of a home, which includes some-

one stealing from an open garage.

Most burglaries of a habitation happen because a garage door is left open, or by the front door being kicked in. There are a few simple things that you can do to harden your house, reducing the likelihood of the burglar getting in. The first, and probably the most important, is to lock all of your doors! The second is to reinforce the door frame. You can have the best lock ever made but if the frame is weak the door will come off the hinges. This can be done by replacing the small screws in the frame with 3 or 4 inch screws and a reinforced strike plate. You should also leave lights on and music on or the television playing while you are gone. This gives prospective thieves the impression someone is home. As many burglaries begin with someone knocking on the front door, installation of a doorbell camera allows you to see who's at your door and answer them while you are away.

The Police Department offers a free patrol of your home while you are away on vacation or business. Please call us at (210) 684-3215 if we can be of assis-tance.

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Traffic SafetyTraffic congestion, blocked intersections, speeding and disregarding red lights…All of this occurs on Bandera Rd. and in Leon Valley. These are major concerns for Leon Valley residents and everyone else that does business or passes through our City.On a regular basis, the Leon Valley Police Department receives com-plaints from citizens about cars blocking intersections on Bandera Rd. When this occurs, drivers are prevented from crossing Bandera Rd. and even driving onto Bandera Rd. and pedestrians are put in unneces-sary danger, because they are forced to walk around the vehicles block-ing the intersection (the Box”). This type of conduct by drivers just

adds to further traffic congestion, is dangerous to pedestrians, and has a negative impact on safety. The City of Leon Valley will soon begin their version of the “Don’t Block the Box” campaign. Several intersections along Bandera Rd. will be identified and new signage will be put in place outlining the “Box”. Drivers block-ing the “Box” will be cited.Moving on to speeding and running red lights, we all know we have observed these traffic violations daily,

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Be Air Aware: Make a Commitment to Idle LessIdling is leaving a vehicle’s engine on while the vehicle isn’t mov-ing. The Alamo Area Council of Governments is asking Greater San Antonio Area residents to reduce idling this summer when possible, because it wastes fuel and pollutes the air.

Facts about idling• Two minutes spent idling is equivalent to one mile of driving in terms of gasoline used.• Idling a vehicle for 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting it.• Excessive idling can damage cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems.• Restarting a car has little impact on its battery or starter motor.• Burning just one gallon of gas produces twenty pounds of pollutants.

Reasons to reduce idling• Protect health - Vehicle engines emit gasses that form ozone, a component of smog. Exposure to ozone can cause difficulty or painful breathing, and even perma-nent lung damage. Although everyone is susceptible to ozone pollution, children, peo-ple with respiratory conditions, and those who are active outdoors are at an increased risk.• Save money on gasoline - Owners of an average four-cylinder sedan would save 32 gallons of gas and $64 every year by reducing idling by eight minutes per day, while owners of an average eight-cylinder SUV or truck would save 64 gallons of gas and $128 a year.

How to reduce idling• Skip the drive-thru lane - Park and go inside instead! According to a study by QSR Magazine, drive-thru lunch orders take an average of 214 seconds, while drive-thru dinner orders typically take 226. • Turn off your car when waiting - Whether you’re waiting to pick up your child from school or sitting in the parking lot before work, turn off your vehicle. Just roll down your windows if it's hot, or switch to "accessory" mode if you want to listen to the radio. • Avoid peak traffic times - The worst times for traffic congestion are between 8-9 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. You’re more likely to idle in traffic during these times, wasting both gas and money. If possible, run errands at another time. If you regularly commute to work or school during these times, consider working with your employer to change your schedule.

For more information, visit www.aacog.com/air.

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on Bandera Rd. These two can result in serious injury or death to both vehicle passengers and pedestrians. The Leon Valley Police Department already enforces speeding violations and disregarding the red lights on Bandera Rd. and in all residential neighborhoods. We will soon be assisted in our efforts to curb red light violations with the installation of a red-light camera system at various locations along Bandera Rd. The installation will help us change the behavior of many more drivers that disregard red lights and will give us more time to focus on speeders and other traffic violators.

Please assist us in our efforts to promote traffic safety within the City of Leon Valley. Don’t be the violator. “Don’t Block the Box”, Don’t contribute to the traffic congestion. Don’t speed and Don’t run red lights. Let’s keep the City of Leon Valley a safe place to live and visit.

Traffic Safety Continued from page 5

CHECK US OUT!Did you know…… ▶ Free notary service is available at your library?▶ The Leon Valley Public Library owns a 3D printer?▶ There is free access to Ancestry.com while you are inside the library?▶ Thousands of eBooks are available 24/7?▶ The history of Leon Valley is housed in our archives room?▶ Storytime is held twice a week?▶ Your library owns six iPads and six Chromebooks, which are used in our programming?▶ Weekly meditation is held Tuesday from 6-7pm and is open to everyone?These items are just a FEW of the things we offer. If you haven’t been into your Leon Valley Public Library lately, please come visit us. You might just be surprised what we are up to lately!www.leonvalley.lib.tx.us or find us on Facebook

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Leon Valley Earns Special Rating That Lowers Flood Insurance Premiums

Luis Valdez, Fire Chief

The City of Leon Valley has received notice from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), that it has received a Community Rating System (CRS) Classi-fication of 7. Residents and business owners in Leon Valley can now enjoy a reduction in flood insurance premiums because of the city's active participation in the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS flood insurance program rewards communities for implementing programs and policies that protect their residents from flooding. By joining this program, the City of Leon Valley’s higher regulatory standards, public education outreach, stormwater maintenance, environmental safe practices, emergency response and planning, and other initiatives, have earned the city lower premiums.This new classification results in a 15% discount in flood insurance premiums in homes within the Spe-cial Flood Hazard Area and policyholders located outside the Special Flood Hazard Areas will enjoy a 5% discount. The reduction in flood insurance will take effect at the time a new policy is written or an effec-tive policy is renewed.There are 59 CRS cities in Texas, the highest is a Class 5 (1-10 scale, 1 being the best), The City of Leon Valley and the City of Live Oak are the only CRS Communities now in Bexar County, both Class 7. Besides the benefit of reduced insurance rates, CRS floodplain management activities enhance public safety, reduce damages to property and public infrastructure, avoid economic disruption and losses, re-duce human suffering, and protects the environment. I encourage all Leon Valley residents to take advantage of this program and purchase flood insurance at a discounted rate, to better protect their families. Congratulations to all! I am very proud of the teamwork displayed by city staff to help make Leon Valley even more resilient! For more information on the NFIP's CRS program, go to https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insur-ance-program-community-rating-system

Helpful InformationTraffic Signal Outages: Leon Valley owns and operates traffic signals at the corner of Huebner and Evers, and at Wurzbach and Exchange Parkway. If one of these signals is malfunctioning, call Public Works at 210-681-1232 to report. If after hours, please call the Emergency Services Dispatchers at 684-3215. All other traffic signal outages should be reported to the City of San Antonio at 210-207-4586. The City of San Antonio manages the traffic signal system for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), along Bandera and Grissom Roads, to include signal timing.Street light or other electrical outages: Please report these to CPS Energy at 210- 353-5952 or go online and open a service re-quest at: https://www.cpsenergy.com/en/forms/employee_form--20171.htmlSchool zone lights: Leon Valley owns and operates the school

zone lights on Huebner and on Evers roads. If one of these is malfunctioning, please call 210-681-1232. For the school zone lights along Grissom Road, please call the City of San Antonio at 210-207-4586.Dead animals: Please call Waste Management at 800-800-5804. Dead animals must be placed by the curb. If there is a dead ani-mal in the roadway, please call Public Works.Recycle bins, rolling trash cans, roll off dumpsters, and garbage service questions: Please call Waste Management at 800-800-5804. The Public Works department does not keep extra cans or bins at their facility.Oak Wilt: Please call the Texas Forest Service at 830-777-9066 for helpful information on how to prevent and/or treat Oak Wilt or visit www.texasoakwilt.org. For questions regarding tree

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Do limit amount to be picked up to 8 cubic yards -(6ft. x 6ft. x 6ft.).

Do place bulky waste items in an area clear of obstacles, away from fences, fire hydrants or gas and water meters.

Do place discarded items and brush at your normal pick-up location(s).

Please stack brush with the trunk ends pointing in the same direction and notify all commercial landscapers that brush must be hauled away and not placed at the curb.

Do have Freon properly removed and disposed from refrigerators and air condi-tioners and properly tagged by a qualified Freon disposal technician.

PlaCe iTeMS aT The Curb auguST 28 ~ SePTeMber 3, 2017 Collection begins on September 4, 2017 at 7:00 a.m.

Thanks! Together, we can keep leon Valley clean!

Do not mix scrap iron, wire or any other metal objects with brush and shrubbery.

Do not put out commercial or industrial waste, construction material, tires, bat-teries, oil, paint, or other household hazardous waste. These items will not be picked up.

Do not place discarded items on vacant lots or commercial establishments.

Do not wait until September 4th to put your items out for collection. You could miss the collection for your street.

Do not block parked vehicles or sidewalks with piles or place discarded items under low hanging tree limbs.

DO NOTDO

For information, contact Public Works, 681-1232,

or Waste Management, 1-800-800-5804.

Collection vehicles will pass down each street only once and will proceed until the entire City has been collected. All com-mercial tree trimmers are required to haul away all trimmings.

Simple guidelines that will help you pre-pare for a safe and successful clean-up.

Waste Management will pick up all your bulky items such as old furniture, water heaters, appliances and brush.

Fall Clean-up Week

trimming or removal, please call Community Development at 210-684-1391 x 226. The City does have a tree preservation ordi-nance with regulations for trimming and removal of trees.Water/Sewer Service: Leon Valley provides water and sewer service to most of the City. The rest of the residents, especially in the Forest Oaks area, are provided service through the San An-tonio Water System (SAWS). For SAWS water service questions, please call 210-704-7297. For questions about your Leon Valley water service, please call Yvonne Acuna at 210-684-1391 x 224. Keep in mind that, if your water service has been interrupted or disconnected due to non-payment, we will not send out person-nel after hours to turn your service back on. Service will not be restored until the next business day. Potholes: The maintenance of both Bandera and Grissom Roads

are the responsibility of TxDOT. They can be reached at 210-623-4431. The rest of the roads in Leon Valley are maintained by the Public Works Department 210-681-1232. Water leaks: If you have a water leak during working hours, please call Public Works at (210) 681-1232. For afterhours emer-gencies, please call the Dispatcher at 684-3215. An emergency is classified as a water or sewer main break. For smaller or trickling leaks, please wait until the next business day to report, or you may leave a message at (210) 684-1391 x 224.Animal Control/Code Enforcement: To report loose or lost pets or to report a code enforcement issue such as high grass and weeds call 210-204-9979 or 210-251-1797. If it is an emergency, such as a dangerous dog, please call the Police at 911.

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The City of

CITY COUNCILMayor Chris RileyPlace 1 David EdwardsPlace 2 Belinda EalyPlace 3 Monica AlcocerPlace 4 Benny MartinezPlace 5 David Jordan

LION’S ROARThe Lion’s Roar is published by The City of Leon Valley, Texas, six times a year. Any publication of The City of Leon Valley, whether draft or final is the sole property of The City of Leon Valley and cannot be reproducedor distributed in any way, whether in print or electronically, without the express written consent of The City of Leon Valley. For questions or comments regarding the information contained herein, contact:

The Lion’s Roar City of Leon Valley 6400 El Verde RoadLeon Valley, Texas 78238 (210) 684-1391, x. 233

CITY STAFFCity Manager Kelly Kuenstler 684-1391 x 219Asst.City Manager/HR Crystal Caldera684-1391 x 212City Secretary Saundra Passailaigue 684-1391 x 216Finance Department Vickie Wallace, Director 684-1391 x 223Community DevelopmentDirector684-1391 x 234City Attorney Denise Frederick 684-1391 x 217LV Public LibrarySandy Underwood, Director 684-0720Fire DepartmentLuis Valdez, Fire Chief 684-3219Police DepartmentJoe Salvaggio, Police Chief 684-3215

Public WorksMelinda Moritz, Director681-1232

CITY MEETINGSAll meetings at City Hall unless otherwise specified.City Council1st & 3rd Tuesday - 7:00 p.m.Board Of Adjustment Meets as required Coffee with the Mayor Quarterly, 4th Saturday - 9 -11 a.m.Community Events Committee3rd Wednesday - 6:30 p.m.Earthwise Living Committee 2nd Wednesday -5:30 p.m. Public WorksLibrary Board2nd Tuesday - 5:30 p.m. - LibraryPark Commission2nd Thursday - 7:00 p.m. -Conference CenterStormwater Committee Quarterly, 1st Monday - 7:00 p.m. -Public Works Tree Advisory Board2nd Monday - 6:00 p.m.Zoning Commission4th Tuesday - 6:30 p.m. Beautification Committee 3rd Wednesday – 4:15 p.m. Fire Department

CITY NUMBERSKeep these numbers handy

Emergency Number for POLICE, FIRE and EMS 911City Web Site Address www.leonvalleytexas.govCity Hall 684-1391Animal Control &Code Compliance 251-1797Non-Emergency 684-8897Fire 684-3219Police 684-3215CAT 684-ONIT (6648)Human Resources 684-1391Dead AnimalPickup 1-800-800-5804Public Works 681-1232Library 684-0720Waste Management 1- 800-800-5804Community CenterRental 684-1391 ext. 231Senior Citizen’s Club 522-9966

City Hall, non-emergency Police and Fire operations may be contactedat the above numbers Monday - Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Closed weekends and holidays. Public Works Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The bi-monthly publication of the City of Leon Valley, Texas

Leon Valley City Hall6400 El Verde RoadLeon Valley, TX 78238

PRSRTD STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSAN ANTONIO, TXPERMIT NO. 1001

Mayor’s Message